Here is a movie trailer for for the documentary "King Corn"...which explains the massive use of corn in our society. My reaction to this video was "Cheap Food" = BIG trouble for people with corn allergy!

Here is a site that has a bunch of information about Corn Allergy. It would be a good resource for anyone new to corn allergy. Unfortunately, the corn derivative list is very incomplete...but it's a start. It's nice to have a collection of information without having to go to dozens of different sites.

"Life Outside the Corn Kingdom" article. This gives some insight into the life of a family with a corn allergic child. I thought the mother's comment "It's like being Amish - with electricity" is totally accurate.

The only (bought) frozen vegetables I can have are Green Giant Frozen Peas. Even if the vegetables are not dusted with corn starch (and I know a lot of them are to prevent sticking together), they have most likely been rinsed in citric acid during processing to keep their colour. I cannot have any canned fruits or vegetables for the same reason. I recently took a chance and tried some organic, wild, frozen blueberries and I had a reaction. I reacted to them the way I typically react to citric acid (skin). Processing aids do not have to be labelled.

For those of us who are extremely sensitive, even fresh fruits are tricky. I had a horrible reaction to some fresh strawberries a few years ago. Many corn allergics on another forum have trouble with store bought strawberries. I don't have any problem with the ones I get from my garden.

Thanks again, Eldi. I've actually been avoiding frozen veggies, so I'm not sure if I react to them or not.

I'm keeping all this info. about corn in mind in case I start having inexplicable reactions. I'm already kind of worried. I'm wondering if some of my problems with "oral allergy syndrome" could be related to corn---i.e. I've been reacting to organic raspberries.

I can still have raw cranberries---the only fruit I can eat raw right now!

The other week, I reacted mildly to prewashed and prepackaged Kale. I'm wondering if the kale could have been treated with citric acid to maintain freshness--either way, I'm now going back to buying kale in bunches.

I also had trouble on New Year's---I can't drink alcohol, and even though I know that the sparkling cider and champagnade has corn derivatives in them and even though I've been avoiding corn as much as possible, I drank some anyway. I threw up later that night and again the next morning after trying to eat breakfast. It might have been the corn . . . but I'm not positive at this point. It is hard to tell with me because I react to so many different types of foods.

Yes, I can also have the raw cranberries. I always make my own cranberry sauce and I also make jam from cranberries (sometimes mixed with rhubarb from my garden). As for the pre-packaged kale, I'm quite sure that it has been treated with citric acid. Most washed, packaged greens have been treated with something to keep them fresh. Our saying on another corn allergy forum is that if it has dirt on it, it is most likely safe!

As for alcohol, I can drink German wines with absolutely no problem. They have very strict laws in Germany regarding their wines...they are probably the purest you will find. I sometimes add some unflavoured Perrier to my wine and make a sparkling wine. Also, potato vodka is safe. I make my own vanilla extract with it and a whole vanilla pod. It takes a few months but when it is ready, is is really good. The brand of vodka that is safe is called Luksusowa and it comes from Poland.

P.S. I used to think I was allergic to everything I ate as well until I learned about all of the corn derivatives used in foods. After decades of research and trialling hundreds of foods, I now am able to eat most things if they have not been corn-taminated! Unfortunately, one thing I can't find corn-free is dairy. I use goat's milk and one kind of cheese from Italy that contains only milk, salt and rennet. The cultures and enzymes in most cheeses are made with/from corn.

That's interesting that we can both eat raw cranberries! I'm 100% certain that I have oral allergy syndrome for a range of fruits and veggies . . . but now I am thinking that maybe the reaction to berries has something to do with corn-based sprays. (The other theory I had was maybe there is pollen from various plants on the raspberries . . . I am very sensitive to pollen.)

I'm pretty sure I must be reacting to citric acid sprays in the case of the kale. Who knows why I react to some things with citric acid and not others (I do eat some frozen fruit). . . maybe the spray is more concentrated with some types of food.

Thanks for the tip about the potato vodka----I'm not sure if I react to alcohol or the foods used to produce the alcohol . . . I am allergic to potatoes (and to some other latex-related foods), but since the vodka is distilled (and I've never had an ana reaction to potatoes) it might be okay. When my system settles down, I will try it cautiously.

I'm going to make an appointment with my allergist soon . . . it is good to have this info. to mention when I bring up all of the reactions I've been having lately. It is *so* frustrating . . . I just have to avoid so much.

Here is a rather lengthy article about the use of corn derived organic acids on fresh (and most likely frozen as well) fruits and vegetables. I usually do pretty good with fruits and vegetables that you can peel. Make sure that you wash them really well first with baking soda. I also grow many (most) of my own vegetables. Farmer's markets are a great way to buy safe fruits and vegetables.

Well, it does seem that my issues with berries are probably OAS-related, then, which in a way is comforting because the one time, I was having some chesttightness, and I'd hate to think that corn derivatives would cause that symptom (raw fruit is much easier to avoid!)

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